Saturday, October 30, 2010

I've gone WiLd and CrAzY!

Below is my completed project of the week. In the previous post you saw I got my new wild drum carder, which cards batts that are truly pieces of art. Carded together are pieces of yarn, embroidery thread, angora and suri curley locks, sheep wool, alpaca wool and angeline for glitter. A labor of love. I carded these batts then spun the yarn on my Ashford bulky spinner. This yarn is extra bulky, soft and extra beautiful! I knitted neck warmers shown below, one for myself, and two for the shop. I put together two kits as well, pattern, artf yarn skein and ceramic button which will also go into the shop. Im so happy with this yarn and the neck warmer that it produced that Im now spinning an extra bulky alpaca natural colored yarn that I will also put into a kit with wood branch buttons and pattern. This will also be offered in the shop. I hope you like what you see and will stop on by and see this wonderful yarn in person. If interested in purchasing a kit or neckwarmer and you live afar contact me. The WiLd and CrAzY neck warmers are 38.00 a piece and the kits with art yarn, pattern and ceramic button are 32.00 a piece. Open this Sunday the 31st of October. Stop by for some apple cider! It should be a gorgeous day for a ride to the farm.







Friday, October 29, 2010

WILD and CrAzY CaRdInG!


Wild Carding! What a great invention. This is my new wild carder from Ashford. Ashly also felt as though she NEEDED one! So when hers arrived, she came to pick it up and we dragged all the dyed roving, ribbon, yarn bits, locks and whatever else we could find to turn plain old wool roving into art yarn! I had plenty stashed away waiting for the new carder. This carder is able to blend in with the wool all kinds of scraps to create one gorgeous art batt! Which we then spun into yarn. We had quite the day as you can see. It was a lot of fun to see the batts created and then watch it turn into yarn. We both spun our yarns up and knitted neck warmers, that I think is one of my best pieces ever. I wont show it as of yet because I want to find the perfect button to finish this piece of art. I actually had enough of this first run to knit up two neck warmers. One which I'm keeping and the other will go into the shop. Check back to see the final piece. Also you must stop back to see the new alpaca products that arrived yesterday. More gloves with alpaca motif and baby alpaca brushed scarves that are to die for! All in beautiful colors. I just need to drag myself away from the wild carder and take some pics!! Enjoy the wonderful weekend, maybe take a rid eon up and check out the shop and all the new items!


Im going to need to do a demo of this carding one Sunday.
LOOK AT THE CRAZED AND WILD LOOK THAT COMES OVER ONE'S FACE WHEN USING THE WILD CARDER!!!!! wHAT A LOT OF FUN WE HAD, LAUGHS AND BATTS, WHAT ELSE IS THER? THANKS ASHLY FOR A GREAT AFTERNOON.


Oh waht a great invention!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Witch Is In!


The witch is in! Stop on by this Sunday the 31st, she brought with her lots of new things to the shop. The broom was filled, she delivered more this week. She is now here to stay with us through Sunday! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAEHEHEHEHEHE Open 11-3pm

Hope to see you. We still have beautiful foliage left here in Oxford, the ride should be beautiful!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Dyeing to be new again!

Well last year I knitted the drop stitch vest from one of may favorite sheep A corriedale named Susan who died the year before. I had a little of her roving left so I spun it up and decided I needed to knit something from it for me, to remember her by. Not that I would ever forget her, she was 14 years old and one of the sweetest ewes ever! I adored Susan, she was blind for two years before she died. So anyway I knitted this drop stitch vest and it was to long, I was not so happy with it. So this morning I cut 4 inches off! Picked up the stitches, knitted a row then bound it off. Then I decided that the natural white did not really do anything for the look of the vest either. So into the dye pot it went. It was about two min. and I remembered a nice little gray vest that I had knitted that was kind of blah as well so I ran and found it and into the dye pot that sent as well. Simmering in the pot I watched both pieces as they changed color becoming New vest both in color and for the one that I cut, in style. I love them both now and will wear them often!
What do you think? Im now thinking of other things I can make new by throwing them into the dye pot as well. By the way, on the needles now is yet another vest! A seed stitch vest out of rose gray alpaca. I find I get a lot of wear out of the vest becasue alpaca or bulky wool sheep sweaters are just way to warm to wear inside, and how many out door wool sweaters does one need? I'll post pictures as it progesses a little more.

Monday, October 25, 2010

More Fall Fashion!


Here is what the little caplet looks like on. Isn't is a perfect size? It reaches the elbow but doesn't get in the way of working with your hands. I guess I have been in fall mode because look at the colors I have been working with! Fall, fall, fall. Looks like the leaves in my backyard! Inspiration I guess. The neck warmers were a favorite item in the shop last year so I have been knitting them again. We have a basket filled with neck warmers, both in alpaca and sheep wool, even some angora bunny and sheep wool blend. Or maybe knit your own with one of our beautiful yarns! Off to visit with the woollies now. I have some carrots and grain bread to share with them. Oh how they loooooove this treat!





Sunday, October 24, 2010

Newest projects on and off the needles!

Here are some of my latest projects. The little caplet is a dream to wear over your shoulders. It just meets the top of your elbow, so it is not in the way and can be worn with ease to work in, have dinner or wear over the top of your winter coat. Its easy to knit on large needles and works up fast. Pattern will be available to share with the purchase of yarn..
The next project on the needles is a blend of alpaca and Babydoll wool, Its my favorite blend of the year. I had many pounds of it processed so I will be dyeing some as I spin it. The blend is wonderful. Blended from Al the alpaca and Willow the Babydoll sheep. The pattern is a mock cable which I love doing, no cable needle to loose! I'm enjoying this 4 row pattern. Pattern will also be available in the shop. The fawn color yarn on the needles is our fawn or oatmeal mill alpaca yarn. Im doing a wide ribbed pattern and plan to knit it extra long for a shoulder shawl. I think the ribbing will hug around my shoulders and drape nicely. I saw this type shawl on a TV fashion show! That it was inspired me. Its been a wonderful fall Sunday here. We had a few wonderful customers stop on by, chatted some and off they went. It was a great day for a fall ride.
Thanks for stopping by. See you soon, have a great week!



Here are some of the ways our alpaca shawl/scarf can be worn. I love these! I wore it a few times out already and have had many a comment on it. I think be the end of the season this may be worn out!